Mobile home utilities in Maryland

Maryland's Mobile Homes law, Real Property Article Title 8A, does not set a detailed submetering formula, but it requires up-front disclosure of every utility, makes the park keep utility services in repair, and protects a resident's freedom to choose suppliers and appliances. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Maryland.

What the statute says

Disclosure comes first. Md. Code, Real Property §8A-201(a)(1) requires the park, before occupancy, to provide "a written notice identifying the availability, capacity, and connection fee of all utility services at the proposed site in order to assure the proper and adequate installation of the mobile home," which the resident acknowledges in writing. "Utility service" is defined in §8A-101(m) to include "sewer, water, electricity, telephone, gas, oil, and cable television."

The park's ongoing duty is in §8A-801(a): the park owner "at all times shall ... keep in good repair the leased site and all permanent fixtures that the park owner provides" and "keep in good repair each utility service." And §8A-501 protects supplier and appliance choice: a park may not "restrict the supplier of any product or service that the park owner does not supply to all residents in the park, except as the restriction directly relates to the safety of the residents," nor "restrict the installation, service, or maintenance of any electric or gas appliance" that complies with the code. Any charge a park passes through as a "park fee" can be increased only on 30 days' notice (§8A-401).

How it works in general

Before move-in, the park must tell the resident in writing what utilities are available at the site, their capacity, and the connection fee. Once a resident is there, the park must keep its utility infrastructure and the permanent fixtures it provides in good repair. For utilities the park does not itself supply to everyone, the resident is generally free to choose the supplier and to install or service their own gas and electric appliances, as long as the work meets the building code; a park can restrict only where safety directly requires it. Where a utility cost is billed as a park fee, an increase needs at least 30 days' written notice. Rates of regulated utilities are overseen by the Maryland Public Service Commission.

Common scenarios

General examples Maryland park residents commonly encounter:

• A buyer needs to know if the site can support the home. The park must disclose the availability, capacity, and connection fee of all utilities (§8A-201).
• A park's water or sewer line fails. The park must keep each utility service in good repair (§8A-801).
• A park tries to force one propane or appliance vendor. Supplier and code-compliant appliance choices generally can't be restricted except for safety (§8A-501).

Other authorities that may apply

Title 8A governs utility disclosure, the park's repair duty, and supplier/appliance freedom; a utility billed as a park fee follows the §8A-401 increase-notice rule. The Maryland Public Service Commission regulates electric, gas, water, and similar utilities and their rates, and the written rental agreement sets the billing terms. Federal law can apply in particular situations, and Title 8A rights cannot be waived (§8A-202(e)).